IRISH MUSIC PACKET Fun facts about Song Lyrics Irish Songs Suggestions for "Lawrence Welk Movement & the Irish Show" Music Irish Song YouTube Playlist http://bit.ly/AllegraIrishSongs Fun Facts 1.Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral "Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral (That's an Irish Lullaby)" is a classic Irish- American song that was originally written in 1913 by composer James Royce Shannon (1881–1946) for the Tin Pan Alley musical Shameen Dhu. The original recording of the song, by Chauncey Olcott, peaked at #1 on the music charts. The song was brought back to prominence by Bing Crosby's performance in 1944's Going My Way. Crosby's single sold over a million copies and peaked at #4 on the Billboard music charts. Lyrics 1.Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral Too-ra-loo-ra-li Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral Hush now, don't you cry Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral Too-ra-loo-ra-li Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral That's an Irish lullaby Over in Killarney, many years ago My mother sang a song to me in tones so soft and low Just a simple little ditty in her good old Irish way And I'd give the world if I could hear that song of hers today Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral Too-ra-loo-ra-li Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral Hush now, don't you cry Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral Too-ra-loo-ra-li Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral That's an Irish lullaby Fun Facts 2. I'm Looking for a Four Leaf Clover "I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover" is a song from 1927, which was written by Mort Dixon with music by Harry M. Woods. Original hit recordings were made in 1927 by Nick Lucas, Ben Bernie, and Jean Goldkette. Penned in 1927 by Mort Dixon (lyrics) and Harr M. Woods (music), the song became a hit that same year with the release of recordings by Nick Lucas, Ben Bernie, and Jean Goldkette.The song was then revived in 1948 by several artists, most notably Art Mooney, whose recording topped the charts for 18 weeks. In modern times the song is perhaps most associated with Merrie Melodies cartoons, as it appeared in several of them, and a common tune played by the string bands in Philadelphia's Mummers Parade. The Sons of Ben, the official supporters' group of Major League Soccer's Philadelphia Union, have adopted the song as one of their chants, singing at every home match at the 20 minute, ten second mark, symbolic as the founding year of the Union. Lyrics 2. I'm Looking for a Four Leaf Clover I'm looking over a four-leaf clover That I overlooked before One leaf is sunshine, the second is rain The third is the roses that grow in the lane No need explaining, the one remaining Is somebody I adore I'm looking over a four-leaf clover That I overlooked before I'm looking over a four-leaf clover That I overlooked before One leaf is sunshine, the second is rain The third is the roses that grow in the lane No need explaining, the one remaining Is somebody I adore I'm looking over a four-leaf clover That I overlooked before Fun Facts 3. Danny Boy "Danny Boy" is a ballad, written by English songwriter Frederic Weatherly in 1913, and set to the traditional Irish melody of "Londonderry Air". In Bath, Somerset in 1910, English lawyer and lyricist Frederic Weatherly initially wrote the words to "Danny Boy" to a tune other than "Londonderry Air". After his Irish-born sister-in-law Margaret in the United States sent him a copy of "Londonderry Air" in 1913 (an alternative version of the story has her singing the air to him in 1912 with different lyrics), Weatherly modified the lyrics of "Danny Boy" to fit the rhyme and meter of "Londonderry Air". Weatherly gave the song to the vocalist Elsie Griffin, who made it one of the most popular songs in the new century. In 1915, Ernestine Schumann-Heink produced the first recording of "Danny Boy". Jane Ross of Limavady is credited with collecting the melody of "Londonderry Air" in the mid-19th century from a musician she encountered. Various suggestions exist as to the true meaning of "Danny Boy". Some have interpreted the song to be a message from a parent to a son going off to a war or uprising (as suggested by the reference to "pipes calling glen to glen") or leaving as part of the Irish diaspora. Lyrics 3. Danny Boy Oh, Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling From glen to glen, and down the mountain side. The summer's gone, and all the roses falling, ‘tis you, ‘tis you must go and I must bide. But come ye back when summer's in the meadow, Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow, And I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow, Oh, Danny boy, oh Danny boy, I love you so! But when he come and all the flowers are dying, If I am dead, as dead I well may be, You'll come and find the place where I am lying, And kneel and say an Ave there for me. And I shall hear, though soft you tread above me, And then my grave will warmer, sweeter be, For you will bend and tell me that you love me, And I shall sleep in peace until you come to me. Let's Move! Irish Jig One of the most popular traditional Irish dances is the Irish Jig! The jig is a celtic dance which takes its name from the type of music to which it is danced, also called a 'jig.' The music takes its name from the French word 'gigue,' which is an older word for a fiddle. Therefore, an Irish jig is one of many cultural dances that is done to fiddle music, specifically, Celtic fiddle music. There are Irish and Scottish variants of jig music, but the most well known of the jigs is the Irish jig. An Irish jig is done to jig fiddle music, which often has a beat of 6/8. There are other beats that are still considered to be jigs as well; however, the most common jig music/dance is one of a 6/8 beat. A jig is danced with a lot of hopping, making it into a joyful dance; jigs are often danced at weddings and other types of celebrations. Irish Jig Movement 4. Whiskey in a Jar Stomp your feet Alternate kicking legs out Sway upper body side to side Raise arms above head Shimmy (move your shoulders!) Fun Facts 5. When Irish Eyes are Smiling "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" is a lighthearted song in tribute to Ireland. Its lyrics were written by Chauncey Olcott and George Graff, Jr., set to music composed by Ernest Ball, for Olcott's production of The Isle O' Dreams, and Olcott sang the song in the show. It was first published in 1912, at a time when songs in tribute to a romanticized Ireland were very numerous and popular both in Britain and the United States. During the First World War the famous tenor John McCormack recorded the song. The song continued to be a familiar standard for generations. Decades later it was used as the opening song on the radio show Duffy's Tavern. The song has been recorded on over 200 singles and albums and by many famous singers, including Bing Crosby, Connie Francis, and Roger Whittaker. Lyrics 5. When Irish Eyes are Smiling When Irish eyes are smiling Sure, it is like a morning spring In the lilt of Irish laughter You can hear the angels sing When Irish hearts are happy All the world seems bright and gay And when Irish eyes are smiling Sure, they steal your heart away When Irish hearts are happy All the world seems bright and gay And when Irish eyes are smiling Sure they steal your heart away Fun Facts 6. I'll Take You Home Kathleen "I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen" is well-known for being one of the most popular songs in the traditional Irish music ballad repertoire, but as it turns out, the song was not originally Irish. It was, in fact, written in 1875 by one Thomas Paine Westendorf, an American of German descent, for his wife, Jenny. The song was written as a "response" to (and thus in a similar style as) the song "Barney, Take Me Home Again," a popular song of the era. Despite its origins, Westendorf struck a romantic chord in the hearts of some Irish music-lovers with his use of the popular Irish feminine name "Kathleen" as well as his use of poetic Irish-ish (for lack of a better term) language, all describing the wistful thoughts of home shared by so many immigrants, and the song quickly entered the repertoire of Irish folk singers on both sides of the Atlantic, as well as plenty of pop singers, including Elvis Presley. Lyrics 6. I'll Take You Home Kathleen I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen across the ocean wild and wide to where your heart has ever been since first you were my bonny bride The roses all have left your cheeks I watched them fade away and die You voice is sad whene're you speak and tears bedim your loving eyes So I will take you back Kathleen to where your heart will feel no pain And when the fields are fresh and green I will take you to your home again I know you love me Kathleen dear your heart was ever fond and true I always feel when you are near That life holds nothing dear but you The smiles that once you gave to me I scarcely ever see them now the many, many times I see a darkening shadow on your brow Oh So I will take you back Kathleen to where your heart will feel no pain And when the fields are fresh and green I will take you to your home again To that dear home beyond the sea My Kathleen shall again return And when thy old friends welcome thee Thy loving heart will cease to yearn Where laughs the little silver stream beside your mother's humble cot and brightest rays of sunshine gleam To where your grief will be forgot So I will take you back Kathleen to where your heart will feel no pain And when the fields are fresh and green I will take you to your home again Fun Facts 7.